Figures about public attitudes to abortion, particularly women’s attitudes, suggest a lot of unease with the current abortion law. Some suggest that this unease is to do with advances in prenatal screening. It is hard to compare a six-month cut-off limit for abortions with ubiquitous images of foetuses at twelve weeks looking embarrassingly, palpably, human. They may not be capable of surviving outside the womb - but they’re human all right. On the most important issue, the period during which abortion is legal, a large majority of women (7 out of 10) are in favour of reducing the time-limit, with nearly six in ten in favour of a limit of 16 weeks or fewer. There is also a large majority wanting parents to be informed when their underage daughter has an abortion, and a very large majority in favour of a ban on sex-selective abortions.

Home secretary Amber Rudd has said that a key power intended to control British jihadists has only been used once, despite the return of about 350 fighters from IS. Under Temporary Exclusion Orders (TEOs), British citizens suspected of fighting abroad can be banned from returning to the UK for up to two years. Their travel documents can be cancelled, and they can be refused re-entry unless they agree to restrictions such as enrolling on a deradicalisation programme or reporting to police on a regular basis. The sole subject of a TEO is believed to be a male who fought for IS. More TEOs are under consideration, but ‘no more than four or five’, according to sources. To date dozens of suspects have had passports confiscated for national security reasons, and seven suspects living in the UK are subjected to TPIMs (Terrorism and Prevention and Investigation Measures), which restrict their movements and activities.

Since 2012 the German birth rate has been increasing. In 2014 the Huffington Post reported petitions circulating to warn the public about the threat to the midwifery profession. They called on expectant families to put pressure on the German government’s health minister to come up with a solution to the massive increases in insurance rates on midwives, especially those who assist in birth. The July 2017 German Intercessors newsletter requests prayer for midwives’ working conditions. ‘Anyone looking for a midwife before childbirth must expect many refusals. More and more freelance midwives are leaving the profession. They cannot afford the unbelievably high contributions for personal liability insurance, even though subsidies are now provided by the state.’ The midwife association is asking for a fund to cover liabilities for self-employed midwives. Full-time salaried midwives have another problem; their working conditions allow them no time to rest.

Disillusioned with protectionism and the US government’s rejection of low-carbon economic models, the European Union hopes that China will stick with the climate change agreements made during the summit in in Brussels. China has a very big air-pollution problem, especially in Beijing. Also the policy for China’s domestic economic development is very clearly a green economy policy. Preventing dangerous climate change is a key priority for the EU. Europe is working hard to cut its greenhouse gas emissions substantially, while encouraging other nations and regions to do likewise. Key EU targets for 2020 are a 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions compared with 1990; 20% of total energy consumption from renewable energy; and 20% increase in energy efficiency.